"I know you’ve been taking a hit on your comments on animals and MS-13 but I think you’re being kind," Homan said at a White House meeting with Trump on Friday. "Animals kill for survival; MS-13 kills for sport. They kill to terrorize and there’s a big difference there."
Many outlets in US media reported that the president had called all immigrants animals, even though he was speaking about gang members.
The confused context prompted a week of back and forth between Trump and some members of Congress. When House Minority Leader Nancy reacted to the animals comment by saying, "We’re all God’s children," Trump pushed back by accusing Pelosi of supporting MS13.
Also at Friday’s meeting, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein explained that loopholes in immigration laws allow more than 90 percent of illegal immigrant gang members to remain permanently in the US if they are under 18 years old or claim to be under 18.